Window-blind closer.



PATENTED 0019 E. L. JAYOOX. WINDOW BLIND CLOSER,

APPLICATION FILED MAR.27. 1906.

INVENTOH y B)" 7 M AT HNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WINDOW-BLIND CLOSER.-

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 9 1906.

Application filed March 27,1906 Serial No. 308,260.

T0 on whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD L. JAYooX, a c tizen of the United States, residing at Fishklll Landing, in the county of Dutchess and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Window- Bl1nd Closers, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, 1s a full, clear, and exact specification.

My invention has relation to means for closing window-blinds or window-shutters; and the principal object of the invention is to provide or produce a simple, cheap, and eflicient form of blind or shutter closer which Wlll be easy and convenient to apply and which will be set ready for operation by the act of opening the blind or shutter and which will be capable of being released from the interior of the house or room without the necessity of opening the window.

A subordinate object is to combine the closer with one of the hinges of the blind or shutter so as to obviate the necessity of a separate appliance and at the same time to provide means for holding the blind or shutter in closed position until purposely opened.

To accomplish all of the foregoing objects and to secure other and further advantages in the matters of construction, operation, and use, my improvements involve certain novel and useful peculiarities of construction and relative arrangements or combinations of parts, as will be herein first fully described and then pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a view in elevation of a fragment of a window-blind having my improved device applied in con nection therewith and in connection with the adjacent window-casing, the blind being represented in closed position and the view being taken from the exterior. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section and partial plan view on a plane through line 2 2 of Fig. 1, but on a scale larger than that figure. Fig. 3 is a vertical section and elevation showing the parts of the closer in the position which they assume when the blind is held in opened position.

In all the figures like letters of reference, wherever they occur, indicate corresponding parts.

A represents an ordinary form of windowblind having slats, in connection with which blind my improvements may be applied, but it should be understood that the blind may be replaced by any other form of shutter.

B represents the outside piece of the window-casing, and O the inside piece of whatever forms these may be, the sash being omitted as unnecessary for purposes of the present illustration.

D and E are two leaves of a hinge for the blind or shutter, the first leaf being applied and secured on the outside of the windowcasing and the other connected with the blind or shutter. F is a hinge-pin connecting the two hinge-leaves, and on this is a spiral spring a of sufficient power, one end of the spring bearing on the first leaf and one on the second in such manner that when the blind is opened the tension of the spring will be increased. The spring is regulated in power so as to swing the blind from its fullyopened position to its fully-closed position and hold it in the latter position with sufficient firmness. Of course the size of the spring and the size of the parts will vary to correspond with the size and weight of the blinds or shutters in connection with which they are to be employed. On the leaf E or in connection therewith is a hinged latch, (represented at G,) and on the leaf D or in connection therewith is mounted a loop H, with which the latch G engages when the blind is swung to its fully-opened position. G automatically engages with the loop H in such manner that when once in engagement the blind will be held in opened position until the latch is purposely released from the loop. To release the latch without the necessity of opening the window, I employ a stem or pushrod 6, the same reaching through the inner and outer parts of the window-casing and being located in a position to release the latch G by simply pushing the rod against the latch. The inner end of the push-rodis supplied with an ordinary form of button or head, as c, and around the rod is a simple spiral spring d, which will automatically hold the push-rod in retracted position, as will be readily understood. The push-rod is easily located in place for use and does not injuriously mar or damage the interior of the window-casing. The hinge-leaf D is of course perforated to permit the passage through it of the pushrod, and after being located in place the latter is cut off to the proper length so as to properly contact with the latch. The end of the latch extends up sufficiently far to be reached by the push-rod, and the outer margin of the latch is preferably inclined, substantially as indicated, so that it may be Thelatch ITO moved upby simply forcing the push-rod out a ainst it. The latch is hinged upon the hinge-leaf E in any suitable way, the simplest way being probably to provide the latch with the projections e and the hingeleaf E with a recess at its back suitable for receiving these projections. This hinge with the closing spring and other adjuncts 1s referably located near the lower part of the blind or shutter; but it may be located at any preferred point, the purpose being that the push-button shall be within convenient and easy reach of a person within the room. At I is another hinge intended to operate, in connection with the first-named hinge, to properly sustain the blind or shutter. Any number of these hinges may be employed, and they may be located at any convenient and proper distance from each other.

The improved device being constructed and arranged for operation substantially in accordance with the foregoing explanations will be found to admirably answer all the purposes or objects of the invention hereinbefore alluded to.

While the closer-spring is most conveniently made in the form of a spiral spring, it is obvious that it might be made in other form and still answer the purposes of my invention.

Havmg now fully described my invention,

what I claim as new herein, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a window-blind closer, the combination with the window casing and blind, of a hinge and means for closing the same, a latch, a catch for the latch, and a push-rod extending from the inner face of the window-casing to the exterior of said casing and operable from the interior of the window to disengage the latch, substantially in the mannerand for the purposes set forth.

2. In a window-blind closer, the combination with the hinge-plates and a latch and a catch for the latch arranged to hold said plates with respect to each other, of means arranged to swing oneof the hinge-plates when the latch is disengaged, anda push-rod for disengaging the latch, said push-rod being arranged to extend through the window-casing, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. The herein-described window-blind closer comprising, in combination, a stationary and a movable leaf, means pivotally connecting said leaves, means for automatically closing the movable leaf upon the stationary leaf, a hinged latch mounted in connection with one of the leaves, a stationary loop upon the other leaf for engaging the latch, a pushrod extending through an opening in the stationary leaf and projecting into a socket in the inner wall of the window-casing, a head or button secured to the inner end of said rod, and a retracting-spring seated in said socket surrounding said rod, bearing against the closed end of the socket and said button, said rod adapted to move said latch and release the same from engagement with said loop.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

E. L. JAYCOX.

Witnesses THOMAS ALDRIDGE, EDWIN E. STRONG. 

